


Can We Get Back to Politics? (Please)

by emphasisonem



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Politics, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Mild Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Relationship(s), Politician!Bucky, Speechwriter!Steve, single dad Steve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 16:20:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13884570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emphasisonem/pseuds/emphasisonem
Summary: Steve walks over to his desk, dialing Sam to let him know that he’s ready to go. Steve hangs up and then takes a sip of coffee to fortify himself for whatever nonsense he and his partner are in for now.He nearly spits the coffee back into his mug when Representative James Buchanan Barnes walks through the door, flanked by Sam and a couple of suits.Of course, Steve knows him better as Bucky.In which Steve is hit with a blast from the past with one hell of a request.





	1. The Proposition

**Author's Note:**

> So, I had originally planned on not posting any of this story until it was completed, but let's be real, I don't have the patience for that. And it's not like my regulars aren't familiar with my haphazard updates. I've been sitting on what I have written for months now, and frankly, I just want to start sharing it with you :)
> 
> And so, here we are. The first chapter of my politics AU. I hope you all like it!

“Daddy.”

Steve’s eyes blink open for a moment, not registering much more than sunlight streaming through his windows and the softness of the blankets around him. He sighs, curling into himself tightly and enjoying this floating half-consciousness. 

Of course, as soon as he feels the mattress dip just a little bit, he knows it’s game over. He can’t quite keep his lips from twitching. 

“Daaaaaddeeeeeee.”

Steve rolls over, smiling up at the small child hovering above him.

“Hi Daddy,” Chloe grins, her dark waves a mess atop her head. Steve chuckles, grabbing the girl and swinging her up into the air, delighting in the giggle that leaves her lips. 

“Mornin’, pumpkin,” Steve replies, plopping her to his left and pushing himself up until he’s sitting against the headboard. “How you doin’?”

“Good,” Chloe replies, brow furrowing as her stomach growls. She looks up at him with her big, blue eyes, so like his own, and says, “Hungry.”

Steve huffs out a soft laugh as he swings his legs out of the bed, watching Chloe scoot toward him before standing and then turning to lift her. He sets her down gently, pushing her toward the door.

“Go get dressed, all right?” Steve smiles down at his daughter. “Then I’ll brush your hair and you and I’ll go out and grab some breakfast.”

Chloe bounces on the balls of her feet, gazing up at Steve hopefully as she asks, “Chocolate chip pancakes?”

Steve nods, laughing as Chloe sprints out of the room to get ready. 

Sure, raising a kid on his own has made Steve’s life a little bit more complicated than he’d expected. But he wouldn’t change a goddamn thing about the way things had played out because Chloe’s the best thing that ever happened to him. 

He slips out of his pajamas and into a clean t-shirt and a pair of jeans, then grabs a baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses before checking in on Chloe. 

The five-year old is already dressed in a bright purple t-shirt and denim shorts, standing on the little step stool in the hall bathroom and brushing her teeth. She grins around her toothbrush when she catches Steve’s reflection in the mirror, waving before she spits into the sink and then rinses her mouth out. 

God, but Steve loves this little weirdo more than words can express. 

Steve grabs the hairbrush sitting on the shelf above the sink, brushes Chloe’s hair quickly and ties it back into a neat ponytail. 

“Ready, kid?” Steve asks, gently lifting the child and setting her down on the floor. Chloe looks up, nodding emphatically as Steve takes her by the hand. 

It’s going to be a good Saturday, Steve thinks, as the two of them walk out of their apartment complex into the Annapolis sunshine and head for Chloe’s favorite restaurant a few blocks away. 

* * *

 

Chloe’s shoving pancakes into her mouth at a frankly alarming rate when Steve’s cell begins to vibrate against the table where the two are seated. He glances down to see _Sam Wilson_ flash across the screen, and wonders what his business partner and friend needs to speak to him about.

He hopes like hell it has nothing to do with work, but it probably does considering it’s Steve’s first free weekend in over a month. 

“Honey, do me a favor and slow down, all right?” Steve chuckles. “I don’t want you to choke on your breakfast. Now, do you mind if I answer this phone call?”

Chloe shakes her head, slowing in her attack on the pancakes only slightly. Steve rolls his eyes – sometimes this child is a little _too_ much like him – and then answers his phone. 

“Mornin’, Sam,” Steve grins, trying not to laugh at his kid. “What’s up? Did you want to do something fun and not at all work-related today? Because if not, I’m gonna go ahead and hang up now.”

“Don’t you dare,” Sam replies, and Steve groans. 

“Sam,” Steve protests, and if he sounds a little petulant, well, he thinks he has some pretty just cause. 

“Look, do you think I wanted to call you?” Sam sighs. “I know you have plans with Chloe and your mom today, but shit has come up. You know I wouldn’t bug you if it wasn’t important, man. Can you swing by the office?”

Steve’s gaze strays to his daughter. Chloe is still munching happily on her breakfast, but the way she’s looking up at him suggests the kid already knows they’re going to need to make an unexpected pit stop instead of heading straight for the park by her grandmother’s house like they’d planned.

“Hang on a second,” Steve sighs, placing a hand over his phone. “Chloe, honey –”

“It’s fine, daddy,” Chloe smiles once she’s swallowed her last bite. “I can play with the toys you keep at the office before we go to the playground.”

Steve smiles before leaning over to plant a quick kiss on his daughter’s cheek. “Thank you, pumpkin.”

Steve exhales through his nose before addressing Sam again. “All right, I can come in. But not for long. And this better be – what’s going on, anyway, that you need to call me into the office today?”

Sam chuckles, and Steve doesn’t like the smug sound of it one bit. “Brother, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. See you soon.”

Steve is suddenly very unsure about how good this Saturday is going to be after all.

* * *

 

“All right, pumpkin,” Steve says as Chloe settles into the corner of his office with a coloring book and some building blocks. “I hope this won’t take too long, but you know the drill, yeah?”

Chloe nods, beaming up at her father. “Color quietly and I get ice cream after dinner.”

Steve chuckles before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “That’s my girl.”

Steve walks over to his desk, dialing Sam to let him know that he’s ready to go. Steve hangs up and then takes a sip of coffee to fortify himself for whatever nonsense he and his partner are in for now. 

He nearly spits the coffee back into his mug when Representative James Buchanan Barnes walks through the door, flanked by Sam and a couple of suits. 

Of course, Steve knows him better as Bucky.

The man walking into his office has shorter hair than the Bucky Steve knew, he’s clean-shaven and more distinguished looking in his dark slacks and his lavender button-up than he ever was in the Obama campaign t-shirts and jeans the two of them often sported a decade ago, but that smile of his is exactly the same. 

“Steve Rogers,” Bucky’s eyes sparkle just the way they did all those years ago, and shit, Steve is so completely and royally fucked here. He’s surprised his heart hasn’t pounded its way out of his chest yet. He can barely _breathe_. 

And then Bucky’s hand is gripping Steve’s and they’re shaking hands, and that spark Steve had felt the first time the two of them had met in 2007 is still very much present and accounted for. 

“You look great,” Bucky smiles, so genuine it hurts. “How’ve you been? Kind of dropped off the face of the earth.”

Steve huffs out a laugh, trying desperately to keep his voice as smooth and even as he possibly can as he replies, “Kind of had a kid to raise. Still do.” 

Steve gestures toward the corner where Chloe is sitting and coloring quietly. He can’t help grinning when Bucky’s dark brows shoot up toward his hairline. 

“God, that’s right,” Bucky chuckles, rubbing his hand along the back of his neck. The familiarity of the nervous gesture is sort of comforting, and Steve suddenly feels a little more balanced. “She’s real cute, Steve. Looks a lot like her ma. How is Peg?”

Steve shrugs, smirking. “She’s fine as far as I know. Last we talked, work was going well and she was sorta seein’ this girl Angie. Seeing as you’re a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I think you know she can’t tell me all that much about her life.” 

Bucky smiles, a touch of sadness in his eyes as he nods. “Shame. You two woulda made a cute couple.”

Steve chuckles, motioning for Bucky to take a seat before rounding his desk to introduce himself to Bucky’s colleagues. “She and I knew it wasn’t ever gonna be like that for us, especially given her line of work. We were good while we lasted, though, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Steve proceeds to shake the hand of a red-headed woman, who is smirking at him. He wonders what Bucky’s told her about the two of them and then decides that it doesn’t really matter. It’s ancient history, for fuck’s sake. 

“Steve Rogers,” he smiles, marveling at the strength of the woman’s grip. 

“Natasha Romanov,” she replies, dropping Steve’s hand. “James’s campaign manager. This is Clint Barton, one of our strategists and my husband. We’re pleased to meet you.”

Steve shakes Clint’s hand, eyes narrowed as he surveys the two of them. He’s got an inkling as to _exactly_ where this meeting is going and he’s starting to regret ever answering Sam’s call. 

“Well, then,” Sam claps his hands, his smile wide and apologetic as Steve’s gaze meets his own. “Now that hellos and intros are out of the way, why don’t we get started?”

The five of them settle in, and Bucky begins to speak.

“I don’t want to take up too much of your time, Steve,” he says. “I know it’s Saturday, and I’m guessing that we’re probably interrupting daddy-daughter time, so I’ll get right to the point. I’m running for governor of Maryland and I want you to be my head speechwriter.”

_Yup_ , Steve thinks to himself as his mouth drops open. _Never should have picked up the damn phone._

“I want to hire both you and Sam as consultants as well,” Bucky continues. “You’re both marketing experts with plenty of experience in the political field. You got out for a good reason, Steve, I can see that. But you may recall my lofty aspirations; they haven’t changed. I want to be in the White House someday, and the governor’s office is another step in that direction. You’re the best speechwriter I know, and I need you.”

Well, fuck. Steve probably would have been able to say thanks, but no thanks if Bucky hadn’t tacked on that last little aside about needing him.

Judging from the sly smile on Bucky’s face, he knows it.

Steve huffs out a sigh. “Sam?”

Sam grins, nodding. “You know I’m in as long as you’re on board.”

Steve scrubs a hand across his face, eyes landing on Chloe. 

“Bucky, I appreciate you thinkin’ of me, but I don’t know,” Steve admits. “I bailed on the speechwriting stuff to try and give Chloe as normal a life as I could. Jumping back into politics… I just don’t know if it’s such a great idea.”

Bucky smiles and nods, then quips, “Did I mention I plan to pay you an obscene amount of money for your services? Could go a long way toward the little one’s college fund.”

Steve chuckles at that because Bucky does have a point. He’s doing well for himself, but college sure as shit isn’t getting any cheaper and Chloe’s a bright kid. Steve has very little doubt that his daughter will someday attend a very good, and probably very expensive, university. 

“How obscene are we talkin’ here?”

The figure Bucky states is enough to make Steve choke on the sip of coffee he’s just taken. 

Once he’s managed to get control of his breathing, Steve grits out, “I’ll have to talk to Peg about it. Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I can make decisions that affect Chloe without her. But I, uh, I think I can work with that, and I have a feeling she’ll be on board.”

Bucky’s smile widens. “Excellent.”

* * *

 

Sam takes Natasha and Clint into his office to work out some of the details of their tentative agreement, leaving Steve and Bucky completely unsupervised. 

Steve can absolutely handle this like a rational adult man. 

Probably.

“So, uh,” Bucky grins, looking a little sheepish now that they’re not discussing business. “I really am sorry to have interrupted your Saturday, Steve. I wanted to come during the week, but this recess has been awfully busy for me, and I was worried I might not have time. I wanted to ask you in person. Didn’t seem right to do it over the phone when we haven’t seen each other in, what?”

Steve answers a little too quickly. “Going on eight years now, if you don’t count the handful of events where we ran into each other before I moved out of D.C.”

Not that Steve’s keeping track or anything. He just has a good memory. 

“Considering I only ever got to see you for five minutes tops and we never got to have a real conversation because I had to fuckin’ gladhand a bunch of donors, no, I don’t count them,” Bucky replies, a small smirk gracing his features. “I’m looking forward to getting to talk to you on a regular basis again. I’m sorry we lost touch, Steve. That was my fault.”

Steve shakes his head, toeing at his floor’s blue carpeting. He’s reaching out for Bucky before he can stop himself, gripping his shoulder tightly.

“It takes two, Buck,” Steve smiles. “You’re not the only one who got busy, you know?”

Bucky chuckles, stormy eyes warm with affection that has Steve’s breath coming just a little too quickly. “Speaking of things keeping you busy, do I get to meet the little lady who stole you away from the political world?”

Steve glances over at Chloe, who is resolutely ignoring the adults as she colors. He turns his gaze back to Bucky, nodding and motioning for the other man to follow him to the corner. 

“Hey, Chlo,” Steve interrupts his daughter gently. Her eyes meet his immediately, and a wide smile greets him.

“Hey, daddy,” Chloe answers, her direct gaze darting to Bucky before asking, “Who’s this?”

Steve settles onto the floor beside his daughter, more than a little bit surprised when Bucky follows suit. 

“This is my friend, Bucky,” Steve says, smiling as Bucky extends a hand to his daughter. It’s sort of absurd to watch Bucky shake hands with his tiny child, and it reminds Steve just how endearing the other man can be. “Bucky, this is my daughter Chloe.”

Bucky puffs out his chest a little, deepening his voice as he says, “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” 

Chloe giggles, teasing a smile from Bucky, and _Jesus_ , Steve’s heart might fucking burst. He pushes the thoughts and feelings bubbling up in his chest away, resolving to deal with them later. Eventually. Someday.

“Nice to meet you too,” Chloe replies. The three of them chat for a few minutes about Chloe’s Disney coloring book and how well she’s doing with Ariel’s hair, and then Bucky announces that he needs to get going. 

“But, I will definitely see you very soon, Miss Chloe,” Bucky grins. Steve wonders if he looks as surprised as Bucky does when Chloe nearly leaps from the floor to give Bucky a tight hug goodbye before turning her attention back to her coloring book. 

“She’s a doll, Steve,” Bucky whispers as the two of them head for the office door. “You’re clearly doing a wonderful job. But then, I always knew you’d be a good dad.”

“Thanks, Buck,” Steve replies as he shakes Bucky’s hand and tries to ignore the electricity shooting through his veins. “I’ll, uh, I’ll talk to you soon?”

Bucky nods. “You will.”

And after a few more handshakes and goodbyes to Bucky’s team, they’re out the door and Steve is turning his attention to Sam.

“I cannot say about 99 percent of what I’d like to say with my daughter sitting in the office,” Steve huffs. “But you can bet that you and I are going to have a long talk on Monday morning.”

Sam has the good sense to keep his laughter low, and simply nods. 

* * *

 

“You seem stressed, sweetheart,” Sarah Rogers observes as she and Steve sit out on her back patio later that afternoon. 

Chloe is distracted, running around the yard with her grandmother’s Beagle, Sadie, so Steve figures that now’s as good a time as any to talk to his mom about what happened today.

“So, Sam called me and asked me to pop by the office before we came over here,” Steve sighs. “It was an interesting meeting, ma.”

“Oh?” Sarah questions with a smile. “Care to tell me why?”

Steve inhales deeply before asking, “Do you remember Bucky Barnes?”

Sarah’s eyes soften immediately as she gazes at her son. “Oh, honey.”

Steve huffs out a laugh as he runs a hand through his hair. He’s alarmed to note his hands are shaking, and does his level best to ignore it.

“Yeah,” Steve continues. “He’s running for governor and he wants to hire Sam and me as consultants. Wants me to be his head speechwriter to boot.”

“Oh, _honey_ ,” Sarah sighs, her smile soft as she leans over to put her arm around Steve and pull him close. Steve allows it, setting his head on his mother’s shoulder for a moment as she asks, “What did you say?”

“I said I had to talk to Peg,” Steve replies, smiling as his daughter rolls around in the grass with the dog. “This affects Chloe, so it’s a decision we need to consider together. I, uh, I didn’t mention talking to you, but you’re an important piece of this puzzle too, ma. I won’t have to do a ton of overnight travel, but I’m going to have to do some, so I’m definitely going to need your help with Chloe if I’m going to manage this.”

Sarah nods as she gently squeezes Steve’s shoulder. 

“You know I’m here for whatever you need, honey,” she says. “But can I ask you a serious question?”

“You can ask me whatever you want, ma,” Steve says, and he means it. There are no secrets between Sarah and Steve Rogers, and he wants to keep it that way.

“Do you _want_ to do this?” Sarah questions. “Do you really want to jump back into politics and be a speechwriter? Do you want to do this because you believe in Bucky’s message and that he can win and make Maryland better? Or are you basing your decisions on the way you felt about him all those years ago?”

Steve pauses. It is, he thinks, a very fair question which deserves a moment or two of consideration. 

“I’m not going to lie to you and say that mine and Bucky’s shared history has nothing to do with my decision,” Steve answers. “Hell, my initial ‘maybe’ was based almost solely on that history. But after he left the office today, I had a little time to think on it. Bucky’s one of the Party’s rising stars, ma. He’s got good ideas, he knows how to get people to work together, he’s great at working a crowd, he understands basic human decency, unlike some people -”

Sarah smirks at Steve as she interrupts, “Doesn’t hurt that he looks pretty on camera.”

Steve laughs aloud at that, tension seeping out of his body as his mother chuckles.

“No,” Steve replies. “No, it doesn’t at all. He’s as handsome and charming as ever, and honestly, ma, I’ve always believed he was going to do something special. If I can help, I should. I’ve been on the sidelines too long.”

Sarah nods, eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiles. 

“I was wondering what it might take to get you up off your ass and back to doing what you really love, Steve. I can’t say I’m all that surprised to find that it’s still Bucky after all these years.”

Before Steve can even begin to contemplate how to respond to that statement, Chloe’s leaping into his lap and throwing her arms around his neck. Sadie meanders up to them a moment later, settling with a contented sigh at Sarah’s feet.

“Daddy, will you come play catch with me?” she asks. Steve looks over at his mother, who’s rising from her seat. Sadie gets up to follow, tail wagging.

“Go on while I get dinner ready for us,” Sarah smiles. “You and I will have plenty more chances to talk about all of this.”

That, Steve thinks as he and Chloe toss a ball back and forth as they wait for their meal, is a fair point.

* * *

 

“I like that Bucky man,” Chloe says as Steve tucks her in later that night. “Are we going to get to see him again?”

Steve nods as he grabs Chloe’s teddy bear and hands it to her. She smiles and then pulls it tightly against her chest. 

“Yeah, kiddo, we will,” Steve chuckles. “Mama thinks me takin’ this job is a great idea as long as grandma’s definitely on board with helping me out when I have to travel. Which she will be.”

Peggy had, in fact, been almost _too_ on board with Steve getting back to speechwriting. 

“Don’t get me wrong, darling, I think taking time away from it when Chloe was very small was a lovely decision,” Peggy had said during their phone call earlier in the evening. “Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better man to have a child with; you’re a wonderful father. But I want you to be happy, Steve. I think getting back to speechwriting is a good first step. And I think finally addressing your feelings for Bucky is an excellent second step.”

Steve’s still sort of reeling from that conversation as he continues to speak to his daughter.

“Bucky wants to be the governor of Maryland, and I’m gonna do my best to help him get there.”

Chloe looks a little confused as she asks, “What’s a governor?”

Steve grins, shaking his head. “You’re a little young for a civics lesson, love, but I’ll try and explain it. So, the governor gets elected by grownups who live a particular state. It’s like a contest – the people vote for whoever they think has the best ideas when it comes to running the state government, and the person with the most votes gets to be in charge. He or she isn’t the only one who gets to make decisions, but the governor is real important.”

“And you’re gonna help him?” Chloe asks with a grin. “That’s really nice, daddy. You must like Bucky a lot.”

_You have no idea, pumpkin_ , Steve thinks as he grins.

“Well, I think he’ll be good at it, and I’m gonna do what I can to get him elected, kiddo.”

“Good,” Chloe yawns, blinking in an effort to keep her eyes open. “Good night, daddy.”

“Good night, pumpkin,” Steve says softly before getting up to turn out the light. “Sleep tight.”

“Don’t let the bedbugs bite,” Chloe replies, words slurring a little as she begins to let herself drift off.

Steve turns and walks away, then stands in her doorway for a moment, watching his daughter. Chloe’s his entire life, has been for five years now. They’ve established a comfortable routine, a comfortable life, and for a moment, Steve considers calling the number on the business card Bucky gave him and telling him to forget the whole damn thing.

Instead, he grabs himself a beer from the kitchen and settles into his favorite armchair with a weathered copy of _The Political Speechwriter’s Companion._

If Steve’s going to throw his life into disarray, he’s going to at least do a damn good job while he does it.


	2. Two Missions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Thank you, Steve. I’m glad you’re all right with all of this. I’m especially glad you’re back in my life.”
> 
> “I’m glad you’re back in mine,” Steve says, and if the beatific smile on his face is anything to go by, he’s not lying about that.
> 
> So, it would appear that Bucky now has two missions.
> 
> One, get himself into the Governor’s Mansion.
> 
> And two, get the love of his life to take him back.
> 
> _Well,_ Bucky thinks to himself as he and Steve get back to discussing strategy, _I always did like a challenge._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What even is patience anyway? Here's chapter two :)

Steve Rogers is as exactly as perfect as Bucky remembered, and that’s going to be a real fucking problem. 

Bucky needs to be sharp, clear-headed, focused. His eyes need to be on the prize. He knows he can win this election, particularly if he’s got one of the best young speechwriters in the country on his side. 

The issue is that, in addition to being a stellar writer and strategist, Steve is also clearly still a genuinely wonderful guy and somehow even hotter than he was back when the two of them were together. 

Bucky wonders if Steve’s still as incredible in bed as he remembers or if maybe he’d exaggerated the other man’s prowess. He also wonders if maybe Steve might let him find out. 

Bucky chases that thought with a gulp of bourbon, wincing at the burn. 

_You cannot mix business with pleasure,_ Bucky chastises himself. _You fucked things up badly enough the first time around. You can’t do that to yourself again._

_More importantly_ , Bucky thinks, _you can’t do that to_ Steve _again._

The thing is, Bucky’s pretty damn sure that he’s never loved anyone the way he loved Steven Grant Rogers once upon a time. He’s equally sure that the two of them could have built one hell of a life together if he hadn’t taken a job managing a political campaign in California instead of just staying the fuck in Washington, D.C. 

Hell, they could have pulled off a long distance relationship, Bucky’s sure of it now. He hadn’t been then, had been young and foolish and so sure that Steve would find somebody better. So he’d ended things. He’d broken Steve’s heart and his own, although Steve had tried to act like everything was fine for a while. 

Bucky doesn’t blame Steve for barely keeping in touch once he’d hightailed it to the west coast. He’d have done the same fucking thing. Self-preservation and all that jazz. 

By the time Bucky’d made his way back east with intentions to run for state office himself, Steve had found someone knew. And a year later, the man had simply vanished from the political landscape, taking veteran strategist Sam Wilson and his infant daughter along with him. 

Bucky could have tracked Steve down sooner. Could have asked the other man for help with his campaign for the state Senate or one of Maryland’s seats in the House. But he’d needed time. They both had. 

Somehow, it hasn’t been enough. Because all Bucky can think about is how good those plush, pink lips of Steve’s used to feel sliding against his own. How good they’d still feel. 

“I’m a fucking idiot,” Bucky mumbles to himself as he takes another sip of bourbon.

“But I’m a fucking idiot who’s going to win this election.”

* * *

 

The second Bucky wakes the next morning, the only thing he can think about is how Steve’s conversation with Peggy had gone. His fingers itch to grab his phone, to call Steve and find out if he’s indeed going to take the position Bucky’d offered him. But the clock on Bucky’s bedside table reads 7:18, and that’s just a touch early to call somebody on a Sunday.

He manages to hold off until nine.Steve was always an early riser, and Bucky can’t imagine that’s changed any, especially since he’s got a kid now.

Steve answers on the second ring.

“Hey, Bucky.”

God, Bucky can hear the amused grin in Steve’s voice, and suddenly he’s 25 years old again.

“Hey, Stevie,” Bucky replies, cursing himself mentally for the cutesy nickname that manages to slip past his lips. Old habits die hard, he guesses. “How ya doin’ on this fine Sunday mornin’?”

“I’m doing fine,” Steve says with a soft chuckle. “Yourself?”

“I’d be doin’ a lot better if I knew for sure whether or not the position of head speechwriter is definitely going to be filled by a pro,” Bucky teases, thrilled when Steve laughs aloud. He’d always loved making Steve laugh more than anything else, and he’s relieved to find that the sound hasn’t changed a bit.

“Impatient as ever, I see,” Steve replies once he’s got control of himself. “I talked to Peggy last night, and she’s on board with me taking the job. I think she’ll have a month or so of leave, too, sometime closer to the primary, so she’ll be able to spend some time with Chloe while I’m working.”

Bucky grins as he answers, “Well, that _is_ excellent news. Hey, do you have any plans for breakfast or lunch today? I’m not heading back to D.C. until tonight, and I’d love to get a jump on discussing our approach to this election with you.”

There’s a pause, and Bucky wonders if maybe his eagerness to see the other man might be a little bit much first thing in the morning, so he backtracks.

“Of course, if you’re busy, it’s no big deal,” Bucky says. “It’s not as though we don’t have time. But like you said, impatient as ever.”

“No, no,” Steve says. “I’d like to do that, actually. Just give me a couple minutes and I’ll call you back, all right?”

Bucky agrees and hangs up. True to his word, Steve calls back five minutes later. 

“All right, my mom’s gonna take Chloe for a few hours around 10:30. That work for you?”

Bucky grins, equal parts thrilled and terrified of being alone with Steve Rogers.

“Sounds perfect.”

* * *

_I really am doomed_ , Bucky thinks as he watches Steve stroll leisurely over to the outdoor table where he’s seated. The man’s wearing some fairly snug jeans which hug his muscular thighs in a way that has Bucky salivating a little bit, and a tight navy henley that stretches across those absurdly broad shoulders and has Bucky salivating _a lot_. 

“Hey,” Steve smiles as he settles into the chair across from Bucky. “Sorry I’m a little bit late; hit some traffic. You order yet?”

Bucky chuckles, shaking his head. “Steve, come on, you know I’m not gonna order without you here. I’m a gentleman for god’s sake.”

Steve smirks as he replies, “In some situations, yes.”

Bucky blinks rapidly, surprised by the loaded comment. The last thing he’d expected was that Steve might still be interested in him, but if the way that those blue eyes are roving across his shoulders is any indication, well…

Bucky might somehow still have a shot. 

_Focus the fuck up_ , Bucky reminds himself. _You’re not here to rekindle an old flame for fuck’s sake._

_But maybe you could_ , a small voice in the back of Bucky’s head pipes up. _Maybe the timing for the two of you is finally right. Maybe you get a second shot at being happy._

And, sure, the latter voice has a point, but right now Bucky needs to concentrate less on the fact that Steve’s smile still makes him weak in the knees and more on Steve’s skills as a speechwriter and how they’re going to utilize those talents. 

Once the two of them have ordered breakfast, Bucky begins to outline the potential strategy he and his team have come up with. 

“All right, so dealing with the incumbent isn’t something we need to tackle right now. I mean, it _is_ going to be a concern at some point, but the priority at this moment in time is winning the primary. There’s a couple of solid challengers, and I don’t want to make the mistake of underestimating anybody. I’m ahead in the polls of prospective candidates now, but Christ knows shit can change on a dime.”

Steve nods, stuffing a large forkful of his omelet into his mouth as he listens. Bucky has to bite back a laugh; clearly Steve’s absurd appetite hasn’t changed a bit.

It’s honestly sort of infuriating that he’s still got the metabolism to eat like that and look the way he does, but Bucky doesn’t have time to dwell on that. 

“We’re touting experience, but we gotta do it in a way that doesn’t make me look like the consummate Washington insider,” Bucky says. “I don’t know why, but people hate electing _actual_ politicians to govern. Like, I worked my ass off to get several degrees, all of them to do with political science. What did you think I was gonna do, folks, open up a bakery?”

Steve nearly chokes on his food, and Bucky snickers as Steve glares across the table. 

“Sorry,” Bucky apologizes with a grin as he continues. “Anyway, one of the challengers is a big business guy in Baltimore, Charlie Dunning. Fairly liberal on most social issues, pretty conservative on the financial side.He’s a little further right than I think most Democrats are gonna be comfortable with, but we’ll see, I guess.” 

Bucky leans back in his chair and stretches, more than a little gratified at the way Steve’s eyes follow the line of his body. 

“The other is the mayor of Silver Spring, Sheila MacKinnon,” Bucky says as he spears a piece of cantaloupe with his fork and bites into it. “She’s even younger than I am, and she’s great, but I don’t think she’s ready for prime time yet. Her edge is that she _does_ have more experience with balancing a budget than I do, but I don’t think it’ll be much of an issue.”

Steve sets his fork down on the table, his gaze direct and open when he looks at Bucky. 

“So, if the primary seems mostly like a lock for you, why bother bringing me on now?” Steve asks.

Bucky tilts his head as he observes the other man, unable to bite back a small smile at the light flush coloring Steve’s cheeks.

“Well, again, don’t wanna underestimate anybody,” Bucky explains. “And the general’s gonna be tougher, Steve. I’m running against a centrist Republican who’s not incredibly popular, but isn’t exactly _un_ popular either. He’s going to be sending out cute little fliers where he’s posed with his wife and their three kids and their golden retriever. I’m a single gay man running for the highest office in the state. You know that puts me at a disadvantage in a lot of ways.”

Steve nods, his expression a little bit forlorn. “So, it becomes convincing the more conservative swing voters that you’ll still be a good choice for middle class families even though you don’t have a family of your own.”

“Exactly,” Bucky replies. “It’ll be easy for this guy to try to imply that I don’t understand the public school system because I don’t have children actually _attending_. Or that I’ll focus too much on social justice issues and ignore the state’s economy. I mean, of course, I’ll focus on those issues, but you know as well as I do that the other stuff is bullshit.”

“I do,” Steve says with a gentle smile. “I do know. I know we haven’t really talked much over the years, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been following your career, Buck. You’ve got a way with people, with getting them to like you and to trust you. Not only that, you’ve got reasonable and compassionate stances on key issues. You’re a liberal speechwriter’s dream, for fuck’s sake.”

Bucky really can’t help the wide smile that breaks across his face as Steve blushes to the roots of his hair.

“Thank you, Steve,” Bucky answers, keeping his tone even and genuine. He doesn’t want Steve to think he’s teasing, not now. “I, uh, I appreciate that. And before we get into any more political talk, now feels like a really great time to apologize.”

Steve’s brow furrows. “Bucky, that’s not –”

Bucky holds up a hand, and Steve falls silent. Those big eyes of his are wide and a little frightened, and yeah, Bucky’s right there with him.

“Steve, please,” Bucky says. “I fucked up. I hurt you, and I’m sorry for that. We were young, and I was too goddamn ambitious for my own good. I let that come between us, and I’m sorry for that. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and that we can be friends in addition to colleagues. And if not, I understand.”

Steve’s mouth is agape as he stares at Bucky, so he figures it couldn’t hurt to lighten the mood a bit.

“Catchin’ flies there, Rogers,” Bucky chuckles, and Steve’s mouth snaps shut. 

“Bucky, of course we can still be friends,” Steve replies, and fuck, the blond is still so earnest after all these years that it makes Bucky’s heart ache. “I know the radio silence on my end was a little extreme, but we’ve never stopped being friends, not really. I’d’ve been there if you reached out. If you really needed me.” 

Steve pauses for a moment, running a hand through his hair and huffing out an exasperated little sigh.

“I’m not going to lie and tell you that you leaving didn’t hurt,” Steve says. “I mean, I lied then, and you clearly saw through that. I didn’t want us to break up, but that’s what happened. I got over it.”

Bucky watches Steve closely through most of this little speech, and almost everything he says rings true. But when Steve says he got over it, he reaches up to tug at his left ear.

Bucky couldn’t forget that tell if he tried. Steve is _lying_ through his perfect teeth, but the only thing Bucky feels in this moment is fucking euphoric. 

Because if Steve’s lying about being over it, that means Bucky really might have some kind of chance to piece the two of them back together. To prove that he’s better now, that he’ll be there for Steve. 

It’s way too soon to be thinking like this, and Bucky knows it. Steve’s a different man now; he’s got a _child_ for fuck’s sake. But there’s no extinguishing the spark of hope that’s begun to burn within Bucky’s heart. 

“OK,” Bucky replies. “Thank you, Steve. I’m glad you’re all right with all of this. I’m especially glad you’re back in my life.”

“I’m glad you’re back in mine,” Steve says, and if the beatific smile on his face is anything to go by, he’s not lying about that. 

So, it would appear that Bucky now has two missions. 

One, get himself into the Governor’s Mansion.

And two, get the love of his life to take him back. 

_Well_ , Bucky thinks to himself as he and Steve get back to discussing strategy, _I always did like a challenge._

* * *

 

Bucky’s phone begins to vibrate against the table about two hours into his breakfast with Steve. He glances down and sees he’s received a text from Natasha.

_Where the hell are you? Did you forget that we have a meeting with a couple of ward commissioners at 1?_

Fuck. He had _completely_ forgotten. Although, as he glances up at Steve’s perfect face, he doesn’t think anybody could blame him for getting a little bit sidetracked. 

“Steve, I’m so sorry, but I have to cut this short,” Bucky apologizes, a sheepish smile gracing his features. “I totally spaced on a one ‘clock meeting that I have and if I don’t leave now, I have no prayer of making it on time.”

Steve nods, signaling their server and asking politely for the check. 

“I’ll leave my personal credit card with you,” Bucky says as he begins dialing the car service he uses when he’s in Annapolis. “You can just send it back to my office in D.C.”

Steve chuckles, shaking his head. “Or you could pay the check and I could drive you to your meeting. That way I save on postage.”

Bucky blinks, a little surprised by the offer. He nods in agreement.

“That’d be really helpful,” Bucky replies as he hands the server his card without even glancing at the bill, grinning at her before she walks off. “I owe you one, Steve.”

Steve smirks, blue eyes dancing with mischief. That look has Bucky’s breath catching just slightly in his chest because that means he’s probably about to be sassed, and Bucky’d always had a hell of a weakness for how feisty Steve could get. 

“You owe me several, but what else is new?” Steve snarks, and Jesus, after all these years, this attitude still gets Bucky hot under the collar. He wants nothing more than to drag Steve back to his hotel room and show him what happens to punks who run their mouths. 

Except, the two of them haven’t played that game in years. This, whatever tension Bucky feels bubbling up between the two of them, that’s part of a new game.

Bucky grins. He’s more than willing to play. 

“Good to know you’re still kind of a shit, Rogers,” Bucky quips. “I mean, the earnest do-gooder stuff is golden for speeches and all, but it’s not much fun in other situations.”

Bucky winks, delighting in the way Steve’s cheeks begin to pink up as he huffs out a laugh. 

“Come on,” Steve says once Bucky’s signed off on their bill. “Let’s get you to your meeting.”

* * *

 

_I should have known better than to accept a ride from Steve_ , Bucky thinks as he exits the car to see Natasha Romanoff standing outside of the coffee shop where they’d agreed to meet up with the ward commissioners. The look on her face is somehow equal parts horrified and amused. 

_Shit_.

“Well, uh,” Bucky grins at Steve as he unbuckles his seatbelt and opens the passenger door. “Thanks for the ride, Steve. And for coming to breakfast. I’ll talk to you soon, all right?”

Steve nods, and Bucky slides out of the car, closing his door with a snap. He glares as Natasha makes her way over to the vehicle.

“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” she grins. “I had no idea we’d be seeing each other again so soon, Steve. What were you two up to?”

Fuck Bucky’s entire life. He never should have told Natasha that he and Steve had been a couple.

“We grabbed breakfast after Steve confirmed he’d be my speech writer,” Bucky jumps in to explain as he circles the car to stand beside Natasha. “Just talked some strategy. You know I’m always itching to get down to business.”

Natasha smiles coolly at Bucky. “Oh, sure. Of course. Well, Steve, I hope you enjoy your Sunday. I’ll fax a contract to your office first thing tomorrow morning, all right?”

Steve’s eyes are darting between Bucky and Natasha, as he replies, “Uh, yeah, perfect. I’ll talk to you both soon. Bye, Natasha. Bye, Buck.”

And then Steve’s driving off, and Bucky can’t help wishing he was still in that car so he could avoid Natasha completely, but that’s just not in the cards.

“So,” she begins. “A business breakfast? To discuss strategy? And you didn’t think to invite me or Clint along?”

Bucky sighs, shoulders slumping as they make their way to the door of the coffee shop. 

“Look, we have this meeting now, so can you just cool it?” Bucky asks. “I’ll let you bust my chops all you want later, but the fact of the matter is that I had some apologies of a personal nature to make, and I didn’t want an audience.”

Natasha’s gaze softens at that as Bucky pulls open the door and gestures her inside. 

“I’m not going to bust your chops for that and you know it,” Natasha murmurs as they walk to the table where Clint and four other people are seated. “But I do want to hear every single detail pertaining to the campaign that the two of you discussed and any ideas he mentioned.And then, if you want, we can open up a bottle of red and you can tell me all about how you’re planning to win him back.”

Bucky’s step hesitates only slightly, but Natasha notices immediately. She grins as she looks up at what Bucky assumes is a flabbergasted expression on his face.

“How did you-?”

Natasha chuckles, shrugging. “I’m your campaign manager for a reason, Barnes. I can read you like a book. Now let’s get this meeting started and we’ll worry about the rest later.”

Bucky’s not sure how he pulls it off with thoughts of Steve Rogers dancing around in his head, but he gets through the meeting.

* * *

 

“Now tell me,” Nat smirks before taking a sip of wine later that evening. “Exactly how stupid is your plan to get back together with Steve Rogers going to be? Because I’ll need to factor that distraction into my plans for your campaign.”

The two of them are sitting in the living room of Bucky’s apartment, Bucky sprawled on his couch, Natasha curled up in an armchair. It’d be cozy, Bucky thinks, if his friend wasn’t trying to provoke him into talking about his feelings.

He could deny everything, but Nat’s too smart for that and he knows it. So, he just sighs and comes clean.

“Don’t have a plan yet, so I don’t know how stupid it’s going to be,” Bucky admits. “Hadn’t really gotten past the part where I decided I’m going to try to get him back. But if the track record of my personal life is any kind of guide, I think we can both assume it will be at least fairly stupid.”

Natasha chuckles before placing her glass down on the small table beside her chair.

“You know,” Natasha grins. “You could just work together for a while, and get a feel for him again. Then, you could maybe try just being honest with him once you’ve had a chance to gauge how he might feel about you.”

It’s Bucky’s turn to smile at that. 

“I could, sure,” Bucky replies. “But, look, he did the ear-tug thing. Steve almost _never_ lies, at least he didn’t when we were together. He was lying today when he said he was over me, I know it.”

Nat sighs, stretching her limbs before shifting in the chair. 

“I get that,” Nat says. “And look, far be it for me to stand in the way of your happiness. Do what you feel like you need to do. But you’ve both grown and changed over the years, James. It might not be a bad idea to see how you fit together after all this time apart instead of jumping the gun based on something that ended almost a decade ago.”

Bucky hates to admit it, but Natasha’s got a point. Hell, he’d had the same thought himself earlier.

“All right, fine,” Bucky sighs. “I’ll play it on the cool side. But I’m still gonna flirt with him from time to time to see how he reacts to that.”

Nat smiles wickedly as she picks up her glass of wine and takes a sip.

“Oh, please do,” Nat replies. “Every political campaign needs a little romance to spice up the proceedings.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to come hang out with me on good ol' [tumblr dot com](http://emphasisonem.tumblr.com/).


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